Understand

Hoi An, once known as Faifo, with more than 2,000 years history, was the principal port of the Cham Kingdom, which controlled the strategic spice trade with Indonesia from the 7th to the 10th century and was a major international port in the 16th and 17th centuries - and the foreign influences are discernible to this day.

The culture & heritage is mostly from the Cham people whose kingdom originally stretched from Hue South to Phan Thiet (South of Nha Trang) - the Champa's most likely originally from Java. The original Cham political capital was Tra Kieu, the commercial capital was Hoi An and the spiritual capital was My Son (Hindu). The Cham people were Hindu, and by the 10th century the influence of Arab traders to Hoi An resulted in some converting to become Muslims.

The second major influence was from the Chinese, firstly from traders but especially the escaping Ming Dynasty armies who after settling in Hoi An for some years moved further south and created Saigon as a major trading port.

The third and last major influence of culture & heritage was from the Vietnamese and is fairly recent and only came after the Cham lost control of this area. For a tourist wanting Vietnamese culture & heritage, Hue is a much better destination than Hoi An (but the weather is much rougher too!).

While the serious shipping business has long since moved to Da Nang, the heart of the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes and Chinese-styled shophouses, which is particularly atmospheric in the evening as the sun goes down. While almost all shops now cater to the tourist trade, the architecture has been largely preserved, which is unusual in Vietnam, and renovation has proceeded slowly and carefully - it's mercifully absent of towering concrete blocks and karaoke parlours.

River in Hoi An

The culture & heritage that UNESCO World Heritage Site status for Hoi An Ancient Town was trying to preserve has long since gone. Since 1999, when UNESCO WHS status was awarded, there has been a massive increase in tourism - with the result that most houses have been sold by the community to speculators and shop owners to be used for commercial purposes. The former community, and with it their culture and heritage, has gone and in their place are endless indistinguishable shops, restaurants, art galleries, etc. There are literally hundreds of tailor shops in Hoi An.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status also applies for Hoi An Ancient Town, but in reality this status, like many other UNESCO statuses, is not being cherished by site management.

The main thoroughfare in the Old Town is Tran Phu. Just south of the Old Town, across the Thu Bon River, are the islands of An Hoi to the west, reachable via Hai Ba Trung, and Cam Nam to the east, reachable via Hoang Dieu.

Hoi An is known for clothing and shoes, with more than 600 shops catering to a very limited pool of tourists. Walk some of the streets outside the old town and you will see open-fronted workshops operating all hours where the clothes are made.

A private car from Danang airport to Hoi An costs about USD22. Try with Hoian Private Car is one of the most reliable companies in Hoi An. This is one occasion where haggling to set a fixed price is cheaper than going by the meter, but good luck with this - despite clear signs everywhere listing fixed price fares to destinations including Hoi An (should be 400,000 dong, July 2015: this can be negotiated to a 320k fixed price if you appear to walk off a few times) most drivers seem unwilling to discuss a fixed price. Meters will typically run to around 450,000 dong. The Hoi An airport transfer is highly recommended, the cost is comparable with a taxi (about USD20) but a better car and professional service. Air-conditioned Minibus-Taxis cost USD5 per person (there are no minibuses in airport, you should go first to the city). The ride takes about 45min.

There are Airport transfer for USD 17 from the airport to hotels in Hoi An Town. There are also private cars from Hoi An to Hue Imperial city with English speaking driver. You can travel to Hue then come back Hoi An in 1 day with some highlights stop on the way.

By train

There is no railway station in Hoi An. The nearest is in Da Nang, which receives several trains a day from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang etc. Most travel agents and hotels can book a train ticket for you.

To catch the public 'yellow bus' from the train station to Hoi An, exit the station, walk across the car park and continue straight out Hoang Hoa Tham road with the train station behind you. Shortly after you reach a cross road with a Pizza Hut on the opposite left hand corner. The bus stop is 50m left of Pizza Hut at 299 Le Duan road, a tailor's shop, with a blue and white sign for bus #01 and #09. Bus #01 for Hoi An passes by every 20 minutes until 6pm. Note—busses on this route routinely attempt to overcharge foreigners. The correct posted fare is 20k, but you may be asked to pay as much as 5x this amount. Conductors make an amusing effort to shield from tourists what the other passengers are paying. Politely pointing out the correct fare, posted inside the front door, will usually drop the price down to 30k (perhaps for this reason the conductor will tell you to get on via the rear door). Whether or not to hassle further for the real 20k is up to you. The ride terminates at the Hoi An bus station just outside the center.

By Private Car

Hoi An Car Service System in the Central is known as Hoian Private Car. We specialize in providing personal trips, group tours, and we also welcome you to the airport. We have a lot of experience in the field of vehicle operation, the latest and most innovative car line-up, the most experienced staff. Our sincerity and customer care process are always standard in the Central market, you will be comfortable on the trip.

By bus

There are two different bus stations in Hoi An now (older guide books just show the one on D Hung Vuong)and the public buses to Da Nang leave from the station about 2km north west of the centre on Le Hong Phong.

A xe om from Hoi An bus station to the old town should be around 10-15,000 dong.

Between Hoi An and DaNang there is a yellow, public bus #1. It stops just outside Hoi An city centre (about 10 min walk) and runs thru DaNang centre (here it has several, market stops). As of February 2016 the price is 20.000 dong. The price is listed on the door and inside the bus. It may read 17k, but the updated correct fare is 20k. Text size vary, it may be in the back. The whole trip takes about 40-50 min.
On the bus they try to charge foreigners 50,000 dong, or more (aka close to the price of private vans from a hotel in Hoi An to the airport in Da Nang). Locals may support the scam by pretending they are also paying 50,000 dong, insist on the fare and they will lower it to 30,000, insist and pay the official one. Expect no change if you have a 20,000 dong note. So; have exact change, stay calm, be polite, firm/unbudging and point to the pricetable. They will budge! Though it may not be pretty.

Beware of bus drivers putting your luggage at the front and sparing you the nicest front seat, likely they want you to pay 50,000 dong and threaten to kick you off (although they never will).

A good tip is to take photos of the fare chat on the outside of the bus before you get on. Once on the bus keep your bags close to you. When the fare collector comes around start video recording the transaction and make it obvious that you a recording them - a video is hard evidence and if reported they could lose their job. Politely offer a 20,000 vdn note and ignore any further requests for money. It does not cost any additional to have your bag on board, despite what they say (an obvious exception to this world be if you have large bags that are taking up seats etc).

Again they will budge and accept 20,000 vdn in order to save face. Do not get angry at them - stay calm and collected so that you don't lose face! Finally if they are genuine and do not even try to overcharge you, consider giving them a small tip! It's not about the money, it's the principle.

Buses are frequent - every 20 or 30min pick time, else every hour - so you can simply sit down, have a coffee, enjoy air-con while talking to nicer locals and then jump on the next bus. Same goes for Hoi An - Da Nang. The bus passes through downtown Da Nang and near the train station as well. If you come from Da Nang airport, the closest bus stop of the same route to Hoi An is at the roundabout where the streets Nguyễn Tri Phương and Điện Biên Phủ meet (a nice 10-15min walk, since you can walk along the lake). This bus stop is clearly marked with a road sign. Google Maps also shows the locations of bus stops for this route in Da Nang.

There are no shortage of travel companies and private buses travelling to and from from Hoi An to destinations such as Hue, Hanoi, Saigon, Dalat and Nha Trang.

Open-tour buses like Sinh cafe, Hanh Cafe, An Phu run daily up and down the coast from Da Nang and Hue taking 3.5-4h and priced at 60,000-100,000 dong (Mar 2012) and Nha Trang taking 9-10 hours overnight and priced at USD10-15 (April 2013).

By motorbike or taxi

It is easy to take a motorbike or taxi to and from Da Nang via the Marble Mountains (see below), from where you can catch a train onwards.
This trip cost 460,000 dong from Da Nang bus station, by the meter in Jan 2013.
From Hue or Quang Binh, you can take a private taxi to Hoi An. On the way, you will photo stop at Lap An Lagoon, Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass, Cham Museum.
Taxi from Danang Airport to Hoi An centre is about 250,000 dong in general (as of July 2016). You can book at this price in most of the travel agency in Hoi An town. Some hotel might charge you more from USD 13 - 17

By boat

The old Champa way was to travel by the river system. The rivers of Hoi An cover hundreds of km and offer an interesting & adventurous alternative to travelling by road. Get on a boat and you'll begin to see a whole lot more of Hoi An and the Delta.

Get around

Traffic in too-narrow spaces

The centre of Hoi An is very small and pedestrianised, so you will be walking around most of the time. Motorbikes are only banned from the centre of town during certain times of day, so keep an eye out for them; even in the most narrow alleys. Evenings are especially busy with motorbikes two, or even three abreast competing with pedestrians for even the smallest space on the street!

The city's government does not allow motorbikes to enter the Old Town on the 14th and 15th of each lunar month. On those evenings, a lot of activities, including traditional games such as bai choi, trong quan, and dap nieu are held in all over the town.

By bike

You can easily get around on a bicycle to most of Hoi An's attractions, as motorcycle and car traffic is banned from the city center's tourist area during most daylight hours. You can use a bicycle to go the beach or reach some of the more remote hotels. It is easy and cheap to hire a bicycle (c. 20,000 dong per day in Jan 2013). For mountain bikes, head to Anh Cuoc shop, at 635 Hai Ba Trung.

Traffic in the area of Hoi An is minimal, so if you've been avoiding getting on a bike in the big cities, small towns and the surrounding countryside like Hoi An are ideal to get used to the road rules.

By taxi

Taxis can be found in the middle of Le Loi St, over the river on An Hoi or called by phone. When busy, taxis may refuse your fare back to your hotel from town if it is too close, opting for larger fares. Arranging a shuttle from your hotel may be a better option although prices can be higher. A local 15 minute taxi fare is around 60,000 dong.

Motorbike taxis, of course, are always an option. Some shops have electrical bicycles (especially along Duong CuanDai, close to the centre -75.000 dong, Jan 2013). You can also charter boats for about US$1/hour.
Cost of motorbike rentals in Hoi An town was 80-100,000 dong in Feb 2013 although a hotel may charge double. You get a step-thru with auto clutch. These can handle two full sized adults easily enough. There are any number of small shops renting them, you will be offered a helmet usually. Take it every time - there are plenty of roadside helmet checks. Failure to wear one results in the bike being confiscated and a USD75 fine. Worse, you probably haven't got a Vietnamese driving license and there are no papers to sign, no agreements made so you are on your own legally.

Ride to the outskirts of Danang to visit the stunning Marble Mountains. If you look left from An Ban beach, you can see the Marble Mountains (3 prominent lumpy hills) clearly - the high rises further on are Da Nang. Bear in mind the total lack of signposts, and just keep looking left at the flat terrain until it isn't flat any more! You are on a dual carriageway road all the way. It's standard practice for the bike to have only enough gas to make it a few metres to the next gas station.

In addition to gas stations, there are also little hand-operated roadside pumps everywhere; these can be convenient, but they're more expensive. The proprietor may show you a sign with a few calculations for non-Vietnamese speakers such as 3 litres is 90,000 dong. You actually see the gas draining through a calibrated sight glass. In a commercial gas station they can, and do bang in half a tank then shut the machine off to serve someone else. The amount in money has gone from the display, and he tells you a totally made up figure. All this makes the roadside hand pump with sight glass a lot more foreigner friendly. Gas costs around 25,000 dong/litre and one litre is enough for sightseeing to the beach and back and zipping around town. If you take a trip - lets say you ride to My Son 2-up - then you will use about 4L. It's inevitable that you will get lost 5 times between Hoi An and and My Son! Luckily fuel is cheaper out in the countryside.

Important: foreign International Driving Licences are NOT valid in Vietnam and in case of accident, a foreigner driving a motorcycle without a valid licence is at fault and will pay! Also personal insurance may not be valid for someone riding on a motorcycle with a driver who does not have a valid license.

By boat

The old Champa way was to travel by the river system. The rivers of Hoi An cover hundreds of km and offer an interesting & adventurous alternative to travelling by road. Get on a boat and you'll begin to see a whole lot more of Hoi An and the Delta.

See

To enter most of the main attractions in the Old Town (i.e. the handful of buildings that aren't shops) you require a ticket, which is sold at various kiosks. You certainly do not require a ticket just to walk the streets. But it can seem that way since the main entrance to the Old Town is the covered bridge, which being one of the attractions /does/ require the ticket. But there's nothing to stop you using the nearby footway on the waterfront instead.

Piped (western, classical) music throughout the main old town streets adds to the crass Disneyland feel.

An "it's ok to rip off the foreigners" attitude is pervasive throughout Hoi An (much more so then in most Vietnamese cities). Cyclo drivers charge 300,000 Dong ($15 U.S.) for a ride that would cost less than 20,000 Dong ($1 U.S.) in other cities of Vietnam. Restaurants in the Old Town area are VERY expensive, charging four times what most restaurants would charge and serving portions that are half the typical size.

Once purchased, the old town ticket includes five coupons that can be used to enter five attractions: museums, old houses, assembly halls, the handicraft workshop (and traditional music show) or the traditional theatre, and either the Japanese Covered Bridge or the Quan Cong Temple. Tickets are sold at various entry points into the Old Town, including Hai Ba Trung Street, and also at some of the attractions, including the Cantonese Assembly Hall. The city requests that visitors dress "decently" while visiting sites in the Old Town. Men should wear a shirt and women shouldn't wear bikini tops, sleeveless blouses or skirts above the knees. Respect the local culture and remember that you are not on the beach.

If you are not into visiting some fairly mediocre museums (see below for details), do not purchase the coupon or you will feel cheated - there is not much to see otherwise.

If you have the opportunity to visit a long-established Chinese expat community elsewhere in Asia - Malaysia, Singapore, Chinatown in any of the large cities of Thailand or the Philippines - consider skipping Hoi An entirely.

Hoi An Flowers

First, you may choose one of the two landmarks of Hoi An:

Japanese Covered Bridge's Pagoda (Chua Cau or Lai Vien Kieu). The Bridge is located on the west end of Tran Phu Street, but the ticket is ONLY required to access the annexed pagoda on one side of the bridge's interior; the bridge itself is free for crossing. The bridge was constructed in the early 1600's by the Japanese community, roughly 40 years before they left the city to return to Japan under the strict policy of sakoku enforced by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and renovated in 1986. Today, it's the symbol of Hoi An.

Precious Heritage Museum, 26 Phan Boi Chau, ☎0510 6558 382, [1]. A 250m2 display of photos and artifacts collected by Réhahn during the past 5 years of the french photographer's explorations of Vietnam. Free Entrance.

Quan Cong Temple, 24 Tran Phu Street.

The ticket allows admission to four museums in the Old Town (one ticket-one museum):

Museum of Folk Culture, 33 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Some may be put off by the bizarre-looking plaster sculptures of Vietnamese peasants, but this museum documents the dress and culture of rural Vietnam.

Museum of Trade Ceramics, 80 Tran Phu Street. The dusty, unlabeled displays of broken pottery are eminently forgettable, but the house itself is nice enough, and it provides a better opportunity to explore the shape and layout of an old Hoi An home than you'll find at any of the Old Houses (below).

Hoi An Museum of History and Culture, 7 Nguyen Hue Street. The museum contains some old black and white photos of Hoi An taken in the early 20th century. It also houses an old canon, some two-thousand year old pots from the Sa Huynh period, and a case full of 9th century bricks and tiles from the Champa period.

Museum of Sa Huynh Culture, 149 Bach Dang Street. The museum's main collection consists of pottery and urns from the 1st and 2nd centuries. Upstairs, there used to be another museum, the Museum of the Revolution. Its main collection consists of pictures from war heroes and a collection of weapons such as grenade launchers, machine guns and AK47s. However, this collection has now been relocated to the new museum building at the top of Le Loi Street, and is not currently open to the public.

There are three old houses that exist in an awkward halfway state between museum show-piece and somewhat shabby residence for the family that lives there.

Phung Hung House, 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, just west of the Japanese Bridge. Traditional two-story wooden house, inhabited over 100 years by eight generations; and the current one attempts to guide you around in hope of a tip.

Quan Thang House, 77 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

Tan Ky House, 101 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. As above, a younger member of the family will provide a cup of tea and a "tour" that doesn't stray from the front room of the house, as you'd need to step over sleeping members of the older generation to go anywhere else. The design of the house shows how local architecture incorporated Japanese and Chinese influences. Japanese elements include the crab shell-shaped ceiling supported by three beams in the living room. Chinese poems written in mother-of-pearl are hanging from a number of the columns that hold up the roof.

Numerous congregation halls, where Chinese expatriate residents socialized and held meetings, are dotted about the town. They are typically named after the home region of their members, such as Fujian and Canton. Some do not have ticket-takers, so it's up to your conscience if you want to try wandering into a second.

Cantonese Assembly Hall (Quang Dong), 176 Tran Phu Street. Built in 1885, it has a calm courtyard with ornate statuary. Take a peek at the half-hidden back yard and its kitschy pastel dragon statues.

Finally, you can choose one of the following to get some "Intangible Culture":

Hoi An Handicraft Workshop, 9 Bach Dang Street. Folk music performances are offered at 10:15 and 15:15 every day except Monday. The performances last about 20 minutes.

Traditional Theatre, 75 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street.

Swan Boats on the river near the footbridge. Make sure you check out the swan boats on the river. These are literally passenger boats shaped like giant swans whose eyes light up at night and which play 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' at double speed.

Do

Hire a motorbike to Hue You can hire a motorbike all over Hoi An, but MotorVina have offices in Hoi An, De Nang and Hue and offer a free emergency recovery service (or will pay for a local mechanic to fix what needs fixing). For $2 extra they will transport your luggage to their office in Hue so you can ride freely! They will also pick you up from your accommodation in Hoi An for free to get you to their office. We organised it through our hostel and paid $15/person (not including luggage transport) so I'm sure it can be negotiated down from this.

Long-tail boat, kayak or small round boat (thúng) rides down the river. Mr. Phap (0906 416 433) offers round boat rides through the water coconut groves for 1-2 ppl, 50k/person/hour (anything you'd pay beyond that price is just others' commissions). You can see some wildlife living in the shallow waters, and he might even make you a leaf hat! Address: To 2 Thon Van Lang.

Walk around the old town at night. The most popular activity to do is actually quite simple; as sundown approaches until 21:30, the old town lights up with lanterns and other lights and attracts window shopping and peaceful evening walks. The majority of activity happens in the old town during this time window when the temperature is cooler, and is a great time to stroll around and explore shops, restaurants, people watch, and simply soak in the beauty of Hoi An. The street lanterns shut down approximately 21:30 and vendors and food stalls follow suit in the following hour. By around 22:30, most vendors, bars, and restaurants are closed with only late night bars and a few food stands remaining.

Cua Dai Beach
Please note as of Jan 2016 that Cua Dai is no longer a beach (coastal erosion has largely washed it away and now there is only a shabby sandbag seawall in its place)

Play or relax at the beach - Although it is situated 4km away, the beach north east of old town (An Bang) is a popular place to go for a swim, splash in the water, eat food from vendors that serve food under the shade of palm trees that overlook the beach, or at night to eat at one of the many seafood restaurants that also offer beach views. As in the old town you'll be mobbed here by touts selling food or charging you to park your bike.

Cinnamon Sunset Dinner Cruise. It’s hard to beat cocktails on the water at sunset and the Cinnamon Cruise takes it to a new level: attentive waiters, white table cloths, first-rate food; charming solid wooden junk offering river views of one of the prettiest towns in the world all interlaced with twilight’s magical hues dancing over the Thu Bon River, Cinnamon Cruises.

Kayaking. For those looking to get out and enjoy the outdoors, kayaking is a fun, easy, and enjoyable activity that everyone can do from Hoi An. Get a chance to immerse in nature paddling through a maze of water coconut palm forest, and watch the everyday river life of local fishermen. Relax and sit in a kayak while watching the sunset over the river. Guided tours and rental are available. Tour price starts from $25 per person, Hoi An Kayak Tours.

Tra Que Village, (around 2km from Hoi An centre, turn in from Hai Ba Trung street). Tra Que is a picturesque, green and clean vegetable village where most veggies served in dishes throughout Hoi An are grown. Take a day to discover the calm rural life in this area of Hoi An. The guys at Onetrip offers a wonderfully unique village tour if you are interested, where you can escape the busy city life and cycle around the countryside on a bicycle and later, paddle along the De Vong river on a wooden sampan. Interact with the farmers, get down and dirty and pick your own veggies and later, use them to cook your own meal. You can go fishing too - Tra Que Village has it all.

Pottery Village, Tra Que Village and Lantern Making Factory. A great combination between biking, countryside sightseeing and cultural visiting. This bike tour will lead you through a peaceful countryside to a Pottery Village, Tra Que vegetable Village and a traditional lantern making shop where you will see how pottery and lanterns have been made for generations, and try tasty meal at local farm.

You could also Rent a motorbike. If the traffic scared you in Ho Chi Minh or Hanoi, here is the place to learn. Note: foreign International Driving Licences are NOT valid in Vietnam and in case of accident, etc, a foreigner riding a motorcycle without a valid licence is at fault and financially will pay! Also personal insurance may not be valid for someone riding pillion on a motorcycle with a rider who does not have a valid licence.

Cham Island Diving has been operating from Hoi An since 2002. The international team offer daily boat and speedboat tours to Cham Island for scuba diving and snorkelling activities. Boat tours can be booked at our Dive Bar and restaurant in Hoi An old City where our diving and snorkelling team will be happy to help you, regardless of your ability or experience.

The Kianh Foundation, 61 Phan Chau Trinh Street, on the corner of Le Loi Street ((inside Go Travel Vietnam)), [2]. A UK charity that has worked in Hoi An since 2001, providing health and education services to disabled children. Kianh delivers its specialist services from its purpose-designed Day Centre in Dien Ban district, 10 minutes outside Hoi An. Dien Ban was heavily bombed during the war with America and has over 1,000 children with disability who do not have access to essential services. Visit their Hoi An office to find out more about their work and how you can help to make a difference.

Hoi An Silk Village, 28 Nguyen Tat Thanh Street, ☎+84 5103 921144, [3]. Daily 09:00-21:00. Revived 300 year-old Champa silk traditions - half day tours encompassing the entire silk process, from silkworm to dress making. Converted an ancient Quang Nam style house into a showroom of 100 different ao dai, representing all 54 different minority groups in Vietnam. Also a spacious colonial-style restaurant serving local menu items and a silk showroom where professional tailors custom design and make garments for visitors. * Cham islands are 15km from Cua Dai. There are seven islands altogether named according to their shape or characteristics. Good for diving, snorkelling, and sightseeing.USD19.

Cham Island Snorkeling tour Sea Trek VietNam is specialize in tour in Cham Island by wooden boat. Our tour begins at Cua Dai wharf by Vietnamese traditional boat. The Boat has 48 seats, the jouney takes about 1 hours. On the deck, you have time for relaxing, sight seeing. At the location, the Guests can swim, snorkel. The towels are prepared for all the guest.

You will move to Bai Chong beach to relax and have a lunch. ffter lunch, guests can swim or just relax in the hammocks. The tour finish around 3 pm. Not many tour to Cham island by Wooden boat as Sea Trek tour.

My Son Sanctuary (My-Son-Sanctuary), My Son. 5. Learn about the rise and fall of the once formidable Champa Kingdom See eight century’s worth of sculptural masterworks. Typically, travelers go on a guided tour by bus or boat, see the My Son article. Recently Onetrip Hoi An Adventures url="http://www.onetriphoian.com" started a motorcycle tour that will take travelers into the nearby villages to understand more about the local culture, dating back to the very beginning of the Nguyen Dynasty. The same people who made drums for the Nguyen lords are now converting war remnants into musical instruments. This tour is off the beaten path on a motorcycle.15. (,50km)

Sunset cruise in Hoi An

Watch sunset on Thu Bon River. A cruise down the Thu Bon river is one of the best ways to idle away an hour or two when in Hoi An. As for the best times to cruise: romantics and photographers should hit the Bach Dang docks for sunset, so start your trip at 16:45. Price is USD5-7/h.

Hoi An Blind Massage, 402 Cuai Dai (on the road to the beach, little building on the left just before Mercure hotel). 8am to 10pm. Professional and clean place, you can get a full body massage for USD5 (100,000 dong). The staff can understand if you want softer or harder, and they will ask you if it is OK during the massage. They have real massage beds and they put clean blankets on them in front of you. USD5. (1h,)

The Timeless, 57 Tran Phu, Hoi An, Quang Nam-Da Nang, ☎+84 510 391 9293, [4]. 07:00-23:00. Opened to provide a comfortable and convenient stop for visitors walking and shopping in town. You can lay there for free, take tourism information, learn about Hoi An history, borrow a book, use their toilets, buy drinks (free water) and use Wi-Fi.

Vinahouse Space (Vinahouse Museum), km 950 Highway 1 A, Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam (about 7 km outside Hoi An, on the highway to My Son), ☎0903 858 777, [5]. 8a.m. to 5:30 (museum) 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Restaurant). Vinahouse Space is Vietnam's largest Museum of Architecture, with numerous houses from the 18th to the early 20th century preserved and relocated within its Feng Shui gardens. Museum is dedicated to both the architecture as well as the furnishings and implements of these houses. The restaurant features traditional cuisine from Central Vietnam, with everything made fresh in house. The grounds also feature a craft center, where wood carving and traditional cooking methods can be enjoyed. With 5 National Awards, one world record, and peaceful surroundings, Vinhaouse Space provides a unique opportunity to learn about Vietnamese architecture, food, and cultureUSD 5 (Museum).

SeaTrek - Snorkeling Tour (SeaTrek VietNam), 160A Nguyen Duy Hieu Street, ☎+84902333010, [6]. 8. A trip for relaxing with swimming, snorkeling and “Walking underwater”. During “Walking underwater” adventure, fish of all shape and colours, local marine life will surround you. You will have a delicious lunch and relax at the Unique ecological Bai Chong beach of a Word Biosphere Reserved Cham islands recognized by UNESCO. Experience the adventure on VietNamese wooden boat with free coffee. 40-60.

As on arrival at Danang International airport, Hoi An Private Car’s driver will welcome you with printed welcome board with your name then driving to your hotel. Hotel check in. Settle payment after end trip. Enjoy your holiday. End of service. https://hoianprivatecar.com/da-nang-airport-transfer/</do>

Na Spa (Hoi An - Na Spa), 463 Cua Dai Street (on the way to the beach to your right), ☎+84 510 391 4199, [8]. Na Spa is one of the premier spas in Hoi An. You'll find many pop up spas around town but Na Spa is one of the first spa chains that became successful quickly for their cleanliness and quality of work. They've recently built a Spa Villa that's worth checking out for the view.

Learn

Cooking lessons are offered at several restaurants around town. If you enjoyed your meal there, it can't hurt to inquire. There are also several established cooking schools with good reputations including "Rice Drum", "Morning Glory" and "Red Bridge" who offer a variety of courses ranging in price US$16-55. In any of these "good reputation" schools, as a hands on experience, you can only learn as far as how to chop the vegetables, assemble ingredients, and go through the cooking process. While a demonstration is held on what ingredients are needed, some of the basic sauces or flavoring is given to you pre-made. A different approach is to inquire in a restaurant where you eat if they can arrange a cooking class for you; in smaller establishments the cost will be lower ($10-$20 USD) and more intimate though less organized. Another option is simply asking if you can observe the cooking process once you order your food. For example, at the "Green Moss" restaurant, just walk in around midday or in the evening, choose 2 dishes, and you can watch them prepare it while you take notes on how to do it. The cook's explanations are good, and it's quite an efficient way for only USD2 (in addition to the cost of the dishes). The kitchen looks chaotic, but the food is really good.

Lifestart Foundation Painting and Lantern Making Classes, 77 Phan Chu Trinh, ☎+84 167 355 9447, [9]. Lifestart Foundation offers a unique, half day (morning or afternoon) tour including a traditional painting class with a local artist, Hoi An lantern making class, boat ride on the Thu Bon river and the chance to talk one-on-one with community artisans from disadvantaged backgrounds. Lifestart Foundation is a registered, grass-roots charity that helps disadvantaged Vietnamese people and their families become self-sufficient. All tour proceeds are used to support Lifestart Foundation’s philanthropic projects in Vietnam.

Buy

One tourist trap all shoppers in Hoi An must know is that almost everybody earns commission from referring buying customers to shoes and tailor shops. The standard commission rate paid by tailor shops to every receptionist, door boy, taxi drivers, hotel bus drivers, staff of 5 star resorts or any random stranger is 35%. Some of those "highly recommended" stores can appear popular, crowded and even offer cheap prices, but in reality are only pure shop fronts that leverage on cheap but low quality outsourcing.

Custom made Suits

Few tailors namely Vanda Tailors, Yaly Couture and Thu Thuy have their in-house production and do not outsource. Most tailor shops are not actual tailors but more of store front owners. In every tailor shop, you can choose the colour and material, and dictate every part of the style. Measurements are taken and the specifications are either sent out for fabrication at a factory or workshop outside the city or rarely made in-house.

The suit is usually complete by the next day, though for best results there is then a second (or even third) fitting, when they adjust the suit to more accurately suit your body and tastes. Most shops will keep tailoring it until you are satisfied.

If there are no tailors working in the shop or if the store is not able to show you the details or components that goes inside a suit, most likely the tailor store front is outsourcing and do not have their own production

While outsourcing is economical for store fronts as the shop only pay a set price for each item made, many tailor shop owners that outsource have no idea about the construction techniques, the consistency, the interior details such as threads, interlining, canvassing, shoulder pads, buttons etc. The quality that is put out is obviously variable, uncontrolled and as a general rule quite low. The actual tailors want to maximize profit and use the cheapest materials available to make the end product. Corners are also cut as payment is made per piece; the more pieces you stitch, the more money you earn, which obviously compromises quality.

There is typically no elaborate, multiple fitting and re-fitting process with most of these tailors. If not specifically requested, you will most likely only ever deal with shop owners who outsource the actual tailoring work to sweat shops in the outskirts of town, and who may not even know how to or care about translating your fitting requests to the actual people doing the work. Outsourcing tailoring work also means that shop owners have a strong incentive to minimize additional fittings and rework as it will cut into their profit margins.

Caveat emptor - and remember where you are: there is no trade association, Office of Fair Trading or similar to complain to if you are not happy.

If you do insist on getting something done, below are a couple of hopefully helpful tips how to approach the situation. Getting tailored clothes done in Hoi An can be a fun and budget-friendly experience, just be sure to know what to expect and how to minimize the risk of being taken advantage of. Come prepared with a healthy dose of scepticism when listening to the sales pitch and make sure that the shop's interests are aligned with yours. Make sure that you have leverage to get refitting work done until you are happy (see below). Do not just rely on sweetly smiling shop assistants and their promises - there is usually a clear inverse relationship between the friendliness of their tone and how much money you have already parted with:

-Pre-pay as little as possible: Paying a significant deposit takes away the only leverage you have with shop owners to facilitate multiple 'real' fittings with tailors present. Shop owners will ask for significant or even full pre-payment to 'cover upfront costs', 'buy cloth', 'pay staff', 'cover urgent hospital bills for the ill grandmother', etc. Customers should resist this as much as possible. While it may not be easy to get the prepayment down to zero (not impossible, though), never pay more than ~25%. If the shop refuses, simply walk out and find a more reasonable one. Paying more will greatly reduce the shop's incentive to deliver a product which you are truly happy with: Deposits are never returned if the customer is not happy with the product. If you decide not to buy a substandard piece but have already paid most of the price, the shop will simply sell your clothes to the next customer, after some alterations, and keep your money - effectively selling the clothes twice.

-Stand your ground and ask for rework if you are not fully satisfied. Politely, but clearly and repeatedly state that you will not pay for the piece if rework is not done to your satisfaction (note, however, that this will only work if you have not already paid a significant deposit - see above). Don't hesitate to deliver this message in a confident voice, especially if other potential customers are within earshot. Also, insist on having the tailor doing the actual work present at all fittings. Make this clear on your first visit. If unhappy with the results of fittings, insist on going to the tailor's workshop for final alterations until you are happy. This may be resisted as workshops are typically squalid affairs which shop owners don't want their usually Western clients to see (Yes, your tailored clothes are really only that cheap because you are taking advantage of extremely low wages in Vietnam.).

-Know what you want, bring samples of what you like and check every piece thoroughly: It is always a good idea to know in advance which 'specs' you want for your custom clothes (collar shape, cuff type, monograms, etc for shirts, for example). Bring a list if necessary. If you have something more unusual done and order multiple pieces, have them do one piece first and check that you like what you see. It helps a lot to bring a piece of your clothing where you like the cut or which has some obscure detail you would like replicated. Do not assume that local tailors are familiar with the intricacies of bespoke tailoring and the myriad of options and customization available which a more traditional tailor is familiar with and can advise you on. It is also a good idea to have the shop confirm to you in writing what you have ordered, including all the specs and prices you have agreed upon. Finally, when you receive the product make sure to check that all the details have been done as agreed - on every piece.

-Quality has its price, including in Hoi An: If you go for the cheapest shop or cloth on offer you will be disappointed. Choosing a good suit is not just about comparing prices. Workmanship and what goes into the suit can largely vary. This does not mean, however, that you should not negotiate. It's part of the experience.

-Bring enough time and don't go for the 24h-suit (unless you want to look like a clown): You will need at least a few days for proper fittings. Let the shop owner know that you have enough time to come in multiple times. A negotiating tactic may involve being vague on your departure date - once more unscrupulous shop owners know when you need to leave they might string you along and not invest their time and money for proper fittings.

-Obviously, shop around* , do some on-line research or get personal recommendations before making a financial commitment.

-Get a receipt and keep it: This can be helpful if some eager customs inspector at your home airport decides to query you about how much your custom made clothing has cost as he may suspect that you are above the duty-free limit.

Simon The Tailor (Bespoke Tailoring), 02 Le Loi Street, ☎+84935021431 ([email protected]), [10]. 9:00-21:00. Simon The Tailor- a family run business since 1995 and is one of the famous tailors for Suit & Shirt made with commitment to Quality, Service, Value. Staffs are friendly, professional, know exactly their stuffs assisting clients the whole process of choosing the right fabric to fitting. A wide selection of fine materials is available in store making this tailor more beloved. Price is fare, 100% refund guarantee for a flawless experience.From 20 USD.

Vanda Tailors (Hoi An Tailors), 631 Hai Ba Trung Street, ☎+84984488811 ([email protected]), [11]. 8:30-21:00. Vanda Tailors- one of the few professional tailor shop that have their in-house tailors. All their suits are constructed with lapel roll, using genuine horsehair canvas unlike many tailors in Asia. Customer can view their production in their shop premises upon request. Prices are also transparent and very reasonable.

Remy Tailor Hoi An, 544 Cua Dai Street, ☎+84 905405035 ([email protected]). 08:00-21:00. Remy Tailor Hoi An is a Family Business within walking distance of Old Town, They have an extensive catalogue of suits and dresses to choose from, And also specialize in Copys: You can show them a photo of a garmet and they will reproduce it. They allow multiple fittings until you've got the perfect fit. Excellent customer service and they'll provide coffee or water whilst you browse their works. They also know all the ins and outs of Shipping and Exporting if you're buying bulk product.

B&K Bao Khanh Silk Tailor, 101 Tran Hung Dao street, ☎+84 3510 861 818 ([email protected]). 08:00-21:00. Bao Khanh Silk is an obscure, as although it is located on the main street of Hoi An, is outside the core of the city where all the tailors focus. Bao Khanh Silk has an impressive collection of dresses for women, reserved for special occasions than designs that may have wool. One of the points strong Bao Khanh silk are dresses tailor-made for women, as drawbacks and would say that the price is similar to its competitors

Cloned clothes

Hoi An has a long tradition of copying and then rapidly making up new garments for travellers.

You can bring in clothes (or even a picture of clothes) that you want copied to any tailor shop and they will try to imitate it. You can often choose the type of fabric and the colour for the copy. You can bargain for a better price, especially if you are getting multiple copies.

Bargaining when having custom clothes made: Custom clothes will cost more than ready-made in Vietnam, but should not cost anywhere near as much as in North America/Europe/Australia. You should aim for a fair price, with which both you and the shop owner are happy. If you are not happy with the price, you can go to one of the multitude of other stores in the city; if they are not happy, or feel you are being unfair in your negotiations, there is a chance they will not try as hard to make sure you are satisfied with the result.

When you first see the exterior of the Hoi An Cloth Market, a squat building that has seen better times, your first inclination will be to make like Usain Bolt and, well, bolt. Especially when you spy the mouldy green interior walls. But resist that impulse and bravely make your way through this warren of small stalls.

Custom made shoes

All the shoe shops in Hoi An will make custom shoes for you. The greatest concentration of shoe stores is along Hoang Dieu street, where there are at least eight (small) stores in a row. You can ask them to make you a style that you see there, or one in a catalogue or picture. You can choose the material, colour and type of base. While some shops may work from conventional sizing, most will simply trace an outline of your foot and take some measurements. As with the custom clothes, the fabrication is usually done a little outside of town, or at least in an area with lower rent costs.

Roni Shoes & Handbag Shop (Made To Measure), No 60 Street 18/8, ☎+84968060505 ([email protected]). 09:00-20:00 daily. Roni Shoes Shop is renowned as the best shoes and bag maker in Hoi An with his excellent skills, high quality and great service. His staffs are friendly, no pushy, well knowledge help you to know what will work with each style. All products are perfect cut, handmade following clients' requirements,using real cow leather, price is also reasonable. Specially they offer 100% refund policy for any products not meet your expectation.

Friendly Shoe shop, 18 Tran Phu Streett, ☎+84 935 211 382 ([email protected]). 08:00-21:00. Friendly Shop shop is famous for its unique service. NO LIKE = NO PAY is their slogan. They import leather, zippers and buckles which make the quality much different

WARNING: Not all the shops are reliable and willing to refund your deposit if you are not satisfied with their work. Agree on a small deposit, if they are confident on their skills they will agree too. Asking if they will be able to make the shoes as required is not enough, because consistently with the local mindset about not losing face, they will never say "no, we don't have the know-how to make your shoes this or that way". So be extremely specific, don't forget to mention the colour of the stitchings (unless you like the stitching with a different colour from the leather). Ask them about the base, or you'll get a leather shoe with a plastic base cloned from some brand, and even if they trace the outline of your foot, you may find a different sized base, because they don't actually make the base custom sized. If you are not satisfied and want your deposit refunded, the shop attendants may start being aggressive and verbally abusing. The police are not going to enforce your "rights" (naively assuming you have any, as a foreigner customer). This warning is based on a negative experience at Lộc Phước, 45 Trần Phú Street, Hoi An.

Eat

Gỏi cuốn fresh spring rolls and cao lầu noodles

There are three dishes that Hoi An is particularly famous for:

Cao lầu, a dish of rice noodles which are not quite as slippery as pho and a bit closer in texture to pasta. The secret is the water used to make it, and authentic cao lau uses only water from a special well in the city. The noodles are topped with slices of roast pork, dough fritters, and this being Vietnam, lots of fresh herbs and veggies.

White rose (banh bao vac), a type of shrimp dumpling made from translucent white dough bunched up to look like a rose.

Wonton dumplings ("Hoanh Thanh"), essentially the same as the Chinese kind, served up in soup or deep-fried.

The Central Market is a large building whose interior serves primarily as a place for food vendors. The vendors offer food all day starting in the morning. Seating on stools, eating a bowl of Cao Lau with wooden chopsticks, and sipping the ice cold "White Coffee with vinamilk" is an adventure. However, be warned that it is standard procedure for all food vendors to approach you immediately on entrance and try aggressively to have you sit at their stall.

If you wish to avoid choosing, a particular stall that serves Cao Lau has garnered the praise of Anthony Bourdain and is generally known as one of the best places in town. It can be identified by said label placed on the pillar behind the stall. Prices will vary atrociously, as shopkeepers swarm over you to sell you things, or even shove plates of food before you. Just keep declining politely and return the food if you don't fancy it. Keep small denominations of dong with you, as you probably won't get change if you give them US$. Also, confirm the prices before you partake of the food. Prices range from about 7000-20000 dong for a bowl of Cao Lau noodles, and 5000-7000 dong for a coffee. The baguette is a nice snack, and should not cost more than 10000 dong. You can point and say yes or no to the vegetables and chilli that they will add. Mineral water is around 10000 dong for a big 1.5L bottle.

Walking along the river at night, you will find a lot of pubs. Beer is around 30000 dong. Cocktails are around 20000-50000 dong. There are some bar foods available, such as fried prawn crackers for around 15000 dong a plate. Just walk into any pub and have a seat. Keep an eye out for "fresh beer" signs in some bars and restaurants; they sell very chilled glasses (probably half pint) of beers at the ridiculously cheap prices of 3000 to 5000 dong. These beers are produced by Viet A Breweries and are quite good. Do also look out for "Happy Hour" boards too.

Avoid the riverside cafe called Cafe Can. The cafe has the worst reviews of any in town. Customers complain about appalling service.

Madam Phuong bread (banh my phuong), 2B Phan Chau Trinh.. Open 6:30 AM and close 10:00 PM.. considered by many inside and outside of Vietnam to be the best Banh Mi in all of Vietnam. The banh mi was featured on an episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations". In particular, the Banh Mi Thit (pork) menu item has been recommended by many. Considering the level of international praise it has garnered, it would be a very recommended stop for anyone who wants to try authentic, good food.Price 20,000 dong..

Vegan/ Vegetarian

Karma Waters, 213 Nguyen Duy Hieu (Centre of Hoi An, opposite An Phu hotel), ☎510 3927632, [14]. 10.00-21:00. vegan (100% vegetarian) Vietnamese, International & Indian food. Juices & smoothies. Cooking classes & tours. This place is on the expensive side. $2.5 for a bowl of noodles soup with vegetables. $1.5 for orange juice. However, the food is good and the staff nicemid range.

The Joi Factory, Block 1, Tra Que Village (it's located inside Christina's Hoi An), on the way to An Bang Beach, [15]. 09.00-22:00. The owners are vegetarians and therefore made sure that most dishes have a vegetarian version. So it's like a vegetarian restaurant where your meat-eating friends won't have to starve. It's a great balance of Vietnamese flavors and genuine hospitality. $5-$10.

Budget

Hoi An riverside, seen from Cam Nam

Prices in the very centre of Hoi An are generally a little inflated by the tourist trade - An Hoi island is no longer the bastion of cheap street stalls that it once was; or if it ever was. The tourist trade has really hurt the prices of all areas of town. Don't pay more than 10,000 dong for a baguette; 10,000 dong for a beer (most places want 10-15,000 dong); and 20,000 dong for a bowl of noodles. Look for the signs "FRESH BEER" -it's a glass (300mL) for 4,000 dong up. Great value. Bike towards An Bang beach and check out some of the street side restaurants for some cheaper eats.

The Balance Café, 02 Tran Quang Khai, ☎: +84 (0) 510 3623 777, [16]. The Balance Café offers Vietnamese food with innovative flavors made of fresh local products. It also serves very good vegetarian dishes and there are also really delicious cocktails made with fresh fruit juices. Vietnamese drip coffee, Espresso, cappuccino and latte are served at the the Balance Café and take away. Free Wifi, A/C dining room, outdoor dining spaces on all three floors with flowers and plants. The atmosphere is very relaxed with a modern, colorful interior design.Prices are reasonable and worth.110k-250k.

Cafe Zoom Hoi An, 134 Tran Cao Van, ☎+84 510 392 6626, [17]. 7:00 am - 11:00 pm. The place to go to for a break from Vietnamese food. Very good fajitas, chips & salsa, burgers, curry and best of all, very very cold beers.

Cafe 43, 43 Tran Cao Van. This place has the usual traveler fare with Biere Lerue for 10k and bia hoi (pronounced doy in the South) fresh beer for 3000. The food is general traveler fare but tasty. Try the Cao Lao noodles which is the local speciality; the portion size is good. The "fresh spring rolls" (steamed) are around 40k but are huge. This place is becoming more and more popular, in which case Cafe 41 next door may provide an appropriate alternative.

Lantern Town Restaurant, 49 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An, Vietnam, ☎+ 84 1239912212. Hoian is the home of lanterns and Lantern Town restaurant housed in an ancient house combines French colonial architectural influences with traditional Vietnamese style.80-300 000 dong.

31 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Here you can find many small stands which serve good and cheap food quickly.The pick of these is Hi Restaurant, half way down the street. Consistently excellent food at very good prices. The bill is always totalled and detailed correctly too- several local eateries make deliberate errors!!VND25/30,000 upwards.

Bale Well restaurant, 45-51 D Tran Cao Van. Busy in the evenings, less so at lunchtime. Set menu: Bánh Xèo, pork savoury pancakes - Barbecued Satay pork loin, wrap in a lettuce leaf, with side salad veggies. Enjoy with a local beer. Located off the road, up a side alley, beware of the restaurant with similar name facing the street. (January 2014) 90,000 - 110,000 dong.

Blue Dragon. A restaurant by the waterfront with cheap, but good food. Choose from a wide variety of local dishes, or set menus, including meat, vegetarian or seafood choices. A portion of the proceeds goes to help the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation.40000 dong.

Huu Nghi, 56 Bach Dang, ☎05103910118. Very good food at reasonable prices, with a view of the river and the market. Set meals with 3 or 4 kinds of local specialities for 40.000/70.000 Dong respectively. Fresh beer (Bia Hoi) for 5000 Dong. They also provide a free tiny cup of caramel/vanilla yogurt for dessert.

Laugh Cafe, 126 Tran Cao Van St., Hoi An. Laugh Cafe is a low key Cafe with great, cheap traditional food. It provides vocational training for young people in the provinces surrounding Hoi An, to help give them future opportunities in hospitality. The manager Peter is a laugh (no pun intended) and is happy to have a chat with you about anything you want.

Rosie's Cafe, 8/6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. A lovely cafe tucked in a peaceful alley of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Signature drink is cold-brew coffee which is less acid than hot brewing and cold pressed juice. Not only the food and drink, but also the space to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of Hoi An old town. 20,000-70,000.

Pho Xua, 35 Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An, Vietnam, ☎0903112237. Off the main tourist strip, this quiet restaurant offers a very high quality and delicious traditional Vietnamese noodle menu at far lower prices than most other restaurants in the town. The staff are professional, very friendly. The Pho is served with sliced green papaya and kalamansi in addition to the regular side additions and a house potato-chili sauce, making it one of the most unique pho experiences in Hoi An.30-35k.

Restaurant 96. One of the numerous restaurants by the river banks, this restaurant is packed every night of the week. Many of the guests are returning customers, so the food must be good. There are plenty of vegetarian options and excellent spring rolls. The wait for food tends to be longer than normal, but it's worth it. However the surliness of the owner does affect the general dining experience. 20000 dong.

Thanh Phuong, 56 Cong Dong (An Hoi island, just across bridge and to the left). Standard local fare. A steaming seafood hotpot for two and a large beer will set you back US$9. (As on 18.01.2013 the seafood hotpot is 300.000 Dong. Codfish hotpot 200.000 Dong)

Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu. 100 years of cao lau and still going strong. A bowl of chewy noodles and lots of veggies will set you back all of 25000 dong. Jan 2014 - it's now 50000 dong and the serving size is terrible. Shop is really taking advantage of its history and compensating on food quality. Doesn't deserve to be listed here too.

Sun Shine, 46 Tran Cao Van Street (Diagonally opposite Phuoc An Hotel), ☎0510 3916902. 7AM - 11PM. A homey and cheap restaurant run by a very accommodating and friendly Vietnamese family. Serves fresh and home-cooked Vietnamese and Western food. Food is so-and-so, but okay for the price. Prices start at 25000 dong for a delicious bowl of Cau Lau, and a plate of 6 spring rolls will only set you back 30000 dong. 3000 dong for fresh beer and Vietnamese ice tea is free of charge. As of September 2011, proprietor Hoi is offering cooking lessons for 120,000 dong per person, plus the actual cost of the menu items you wish to prepare (items not on the menu also can be taught). Lessons are fun and instructive; also, the lesson takes place in the house kitchen behind the restaurant, giving you an insight into Vietnamese town life with Hoi and family.

White Lotus, 11 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An, Vietnam (walk along the river from Old Town, through the central market, and straight on for about 50m, after passing Brother's Cafe), ☎0510 3501009. New restaurant with Australian owner opposite Ha An hotel. Serves good Asian and Western dishes, staff very helpful and obliging to any request. 80000-100000 dong.

White Rose, 533 Hai Ba Trung. The shop that actually makes most of the "white rose" dumplings served all around town and if you ask nicely they'll let you try to make them yourself. Open from 07:00 until they run out, usually in the afternoon. (Update 5 Nov 2012, they now charge 70,000 for White Rose and 100,000 for Wonton. Not cheap)

Mister T's, 639 Hai Ba Trung. If you're looking for a late night snack, this is a great place to go. Most shops/banh mi carts, etc close by 11p/12a and food is hard to find after that. Mister T's is a 24-hour convenient store and fast food kitchen. The guys there will make you a made-to-order toasted ham and cheese sandwich for 45,000dong. Also on the menu: hamburger/chicken burger/veggie burger, hot dog, pizza. Those prices went up to about 60,000dong.

Mid-range

Mango Rooms, 111 Nguyen Thai Hoc, ☎: +84 (0) 510 3910 839, [19]. Mango Rooms offers Asian fusion food with innovative flavors made of fresh local products. As an example try the Duck breast marinated in five spices served with bitter-chocolate passion fruit spicy garlic butter sauce. There are also really delicious cocktails made with fresh fruit juices. The atmosphere is very relaxed with a modern, colorful interior design. The owner and chef, Duc Tran, also opened a second restaurant in Hoi An "Mangomango". Prices are rather upscale (maincourses 350.000-550.000), but definitely worth it!350k-550k.

Jaspas Beach Club - international dishes in a beachfront environment. The last Saturday of every month they have a fund raiser to help with the establishment of the An Bang surf lifesaving club. Also monthly parties and happy hours.

Alfrescos 83 tran Hung Dao st. ph.0510 3929 707. Offers comfort food: Aussie steaks, pasta, pizza, Mexican, and ribs. Also home/hotel deliver and do a Tuesday, Friday special deal of two for one pizza for delivery.. Shows rugby and Aussie rules football.

Dingo Deli, 277 Cua Dai Road, ☎0906 552 824. 7.30AM - 7.30PM. This delicatessen offers an extensive selection of gourmet foods through the restaurant and European grocery store. The ambiance, and aroma of brewed coffee is the attraction for travellers ready to find some favourite tastes from home. The sandwiches and nachos are a nice treat. A wooden constructed adventure play ground is open for children to play on and over looks views of paddocks, buffalo and the Thu Bon river.

Vinh Hung 1 Restaurant, 147B Tran Phu Str (Located opposite the Cantonese Assembly Hall, near the Japanese Bridge), [20]. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Vinh Hung Restauant was one of the first restaurants in Hoi An to open it's doors to Western travelers. A restaurant offering dishes using the freshest ingredients, bought market fresh everyday. Located by the beautiful Japanese Bridge in the centre of Hoi An Old Town, it's a fabulous place to relax over a drink and watch the hustle and bustle of life pass by. *Update Jan 2014 The Pho Bo is 70,000 and comes with little meat or flavor. This has become a tourist trap.

Baby Mustard, Đường Biển, Điện Dương, Tra Que (Located off the main road in Tra Que, look for the sign), ☎093 572 57 40. Open daily for lunch and dinner, also hosts daily cooking classes. About 5 km away from Hoi An proper, Baby Mustard takes the concept of "garden-to-table" to a whole other level. They grow their own herbs and vegetables in the back of the restaurant and everything is amazingly fresh and delicious. The rice comes from across the street and even the pepper is made there. Mains are from about 60k-100k and worth every dong. They offer daily cooking classes and you can even ask for a tour of the garden to taste and smell everything you just ate. Cannot recommend highly enough - GO!

Bazar Cafe & Restaurant, 36 Tran Phu, next to the town market, ☎0510.3911229, [22]. 8.00AM - 12PM. New in the town, serves the best Vietnamese and Mediterranean Barbeque in the Garden. Comfortable Lounge, Cocktails and Shisha inside the Wooden Traditional House.

Thanh restaurant, 76 Bach Dang (City centre, riverside), ☎0510.3861366. Great Vietnamese and Western food. Excellent grilled fished in banana leaf and nice river view. A lot of photos of Hoi An to see

River Lounge, 35 Nguyen Phuc Chu, across the bridge on Hoi An Island, it's the first double-storey building on the immediate left., ☎0510.3911700, [23]. 8.30AM - 12PM. This new and exciting addition to the restaurants of Hoi An, is run by two entrepeneurial Austrian brothers who are bringing excellent tastes and tunes to this historical town. Western/vietnamese fusion food. Set menu for 120,000, 3 course meal....

Casa Verde, 504 Cua Dai street, ☎0510 3911594, [25]. This invigorating German owned restaurant serves the best pizzas in Hoi An, his expertise comes from years of experience, as head chef of the Victoria Hotel. Much of the homemade ice cream in Hoi An comes from his kitchen. Fantastic salads. Note: 99 Bach Dang street was his old location years ago and is now Nhà Y Casa Italia, whose pizzas are $2 cheaper. 130k. .

Morning Glory, 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc, ☎+84 510 224 1555, [26]. Choose from a variety of local dishes, and be sure to experiment, because everything is truly excellent. The staff speak good English, the place is beautifully decorated, and the food will have you coming back for more. (And if you really enjoy the food, ask about their cooking classes.) While there are cheaper places to eat in Hoi An, this one is by no means expensive, especially considering how good the food is.Most main courses are between 65,000 and 120,000 dong.

Moon restaurant & lounge, 321 Nguyen Diuy Hieu (East of the market), ☎(+84 510) 2241 396, [27]. 7AM - 10PM. Beautiful old house, laid-back atmosphere and superb Vietnamese food. You can trust the cocktails since it's made of genuine brand spirits, in many other places the hangover can be terrible. main courses 50,000-80,000 drinks 20,000-50,000

Red Bridge Restaurant & Cooking School, Thon 4, Cam Thanh, Hoi An (Catch a meter Taxi, about 3km out of town, cost VND32,000), ☎0510 933 222, [28]. 10AM - 9PM. Located on the Thu Bon River, The Red Bridge Restaurant and Cooking School offer a wide range of Modern Vietnamese Food, in an open air restaurant. It is set in 2 acres of tropical gardens, and offers a range of tours and clases. Catch a taxi there, or if you have a motorbike or bike just ride, its about 3km. Red Bridge Cooking Classes begin around 8AM at the Hai Scout Cafe for a coffee (Italian Style) then a tour of the market to shop for fruit & veg. a visit to the Organic Herb Farm and a trip up the river in their little red boat to the school. It's funny & fun, eat what you made plus more & relax by the pool with beer & wine. Red Bridge is run by experts- it's a must in Hoian. Booking for dinner are essential, due to the location, they sometimes close early if there are no customers. The food is well priced, and very good value, with large portions, and very good produce. They offer a selection of cocktails as well as the usual beers and an extensive wine list. This is an excellent establishment for an evening meal, especially during sunset.

Son Hoi An, 177 Cua Dai (Riverside on the Cua Dai beach road). Very popular stopping point for those cycling back from the beach. Well reviewed. http://www.sonhoian.com/Our-Menu.html.

Brother's Café, 27 - 29 - 31 Phan Boi Chau street, Hoi An ancient town, ☎84 510 3914150 ([email protected], fax: 84 510 3923012). Brother's might be stretching the "mid-range" category. The tranquil French colonial riverside setting is the precursor to a lengthy menu beginning with appetizers of Hoi An special yellow noodle with pork charsjiu & fresh vegetables, Quang Nam white noodle soup with charsjiu pork meat & shrimps, Hoi An "white roses" dumplings, fresh spring rolls, prawns on toast, Hoi An deep -fried special spring rolls, deep-fried wonton, crispy prawn, and crispy calamari. There are five different soups, four salads, five different pork, chicken and beef dishes each (including a grilled pork chop in five flavors sauce), and several sea food entrees. Service is top notch, and the waitresses are invariably cute and demure, yet quite able to explain the different options.

Ganesh Indian Restaurant, 24 Tran Hung Dao, Hoi An, Vietnam (It is near the corner on Le Loi street, junction of Tran Hung Dao). Probably the only Indian restaurant and yet very good Indian dishes, e.g. must try their naans and butter chicken! May be suitable for those looking for a restaurant that does not serve pork.

Drink

An Hoi Island, which is the western of the two islands that connect to Old Town, lights up with bars in the evening replete with colorful lanterns and blaring modern pop music. They stay open until after midnight, and cater specifically to the foreign crowd. They are all located on a single strip along the north side of An Hoi overlooking the river, so it is easy to spot which ones are full of people and which ones are more quiet, depending on your social preference.

Sunflower Hostel - Located east of old town and about a 10-15 minute walk, it is primarily a hostel. However, as one of the most popular hostels in Hoi An, it also serves as a drinking venue that is filled with backpackers that want to mingle and drink until the wee hours of the morning.

Casual open-air bars - There are many places to casually drink in quiet, relaxed venues all over Old Town. In particular, along the south end of Le Loi street, and all along Nguyễn Thái Học street are many of these types of bars. Mango, Tam Tam, Q Bar, Before and Now, are examples of bars along these streets that seem to be slightly more occupied than others (at least in the off season).

Volcano Club - a rather empty club (at least in July 2014) that is situated on the north side of Old Town, but is one of the few drinking establishments that is a club rather than a bar.

Why Not? Bar - a small bar located on the east side of town.

Zero Sea Mile Bar - while blogs on the internet sing the praises of this nightclub that oversees the Cua Dai beach (and according to several false reports of it temporarily being closed for renovations but now open), it has been permanently closed and is no longer in existence as of July 2014. Despite conflicting information on the internet, its closure has been verified in person by and no replacement venue has taken its place. In other words, there are no discotheques in the beach area, as Zero Sea Mile is touted as being the one and only. Don't believe any locals that tell you otherwise, as some still genuinely believe it is still in existence based on heresay.

Cafe Bonsai - The place seems more about growing bonsais but for me they had the best Vietnamese coffee in town. You find it going South East on Đinh Tiên Hoàng, it is about 70 meters (left hand) after the intersection with Hai Bà Trưng. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cafe-Bonsai

Sleep

Hoi An New Town
The atmosphere of the Old Town hasn't been preserved by accident: strict bylaws prohibit new construction within its narrow lanes. As a result, there's a building boom just outside the borders of the Old Town, most noticeably as you head north of Le Hong Phong. Walk a few blocks from that old world ambiance, and suddenly you're in a construction zone. Several hotels have sprung up in this area, which is completely lacking in the charm that brings visitors to Hoi An. Not surprisingly, those are the hotels (Phuong Nam Hotel is among the worst offenders) that are most likely to pay commissions to open-tour bus companies and use Internet sites to describe the dusty construction zone as a "peaceful area". They're also cheaper and easier to bargain with, but the reason they're so cheap is that they're missing the whole point of a visit to Hoi An. There are plenty of options closer to the centre of town. Once you've taken a night-time stroll through the Old Town, you won't mind if you had to fork over an extra dollar or two for a better location.

Hotels in Hoi An are fiercely competitive, which means plenty of choice and generally high standards. Budget options are slightly pricier than many other parts of Vietnam, with $6 being about the cheapest. Around the centre, 300,000 VND is usually the lowest asking price (March 2013). Heading further out of town, more typical prices can be found. Many hotels are clustered around Hai Ba Trung St and Ba Trieu St, just north of the Old Town and within easy walking distance, and also along Cua Dai Street, off to the east and a bit of a hike away.

Most of Hoi An's high-end hotels are located along the unbroken beach stretching from Danang to Hoi An. Closest is Cua Dai Beach 5 km away.

It is more likely to find a good bargain in the evening, when budget hotels try to fill their rooms for the night.

Budget

Riverside Garden Home, 04 village, Thanh Tay Block, Cam Chau District (On the alley next to 171 Cua Dai street - along the river bank), ☎+84 936202033 ([email protected]), [29]. Nestled in a quiet village with idyllic view to the fields and a small river in the countryside of Hoian, you will need about only 10 minutes’ riding to either the ancient streets or Cua Dai beach. All three nicely decorated rooms have basic facilities including private bathroom, air-con, hot/cold shower, free Wi-fi internet, a sharing kitchen and reading room.10-15$, including breakfast.

An Hoi Hotel, 69 Nguyen Phuc Chu, ☎+84 ([email protected]), [30]. Nice and quiet, very near old town (opposite riverbank). Nicely decorated wide rooms. Free internet and Wi-Fi. Ask for rooms on the second or third floor as rooms on the first one are really dark.25-35$ (July 2013), including breakfast.

Hoi an life Homestay, 53 Pham Van Dong. checkin: 14; checkout: 12. Hoi An Life Homestay is located in Hoi An just 700 metres from Hoai River and 3.3 km from Cua Dai Beach. The homestay provides elegant accommodation equipped with hot shower facilities, free breakfast and free bicycle rental services. Free Wi-Fi access is available in this homestay. The accommodation will provide you with a cable TV, air conditioning and a minibar. Featuring a shower, the private bathrooms also come with free toiletries and towels. Some rooms have a private balcony and a bathtub. [email protected]$15.

Dai Long. A 7 minute walk from the heart of the old town. Extremely clean, spacious rooms. Beds come complete with a mosquito net. The staff are incredibly helpful and speak excellent English. Free internet and Wi-Fi. (update) Offseason April '12, rooms go for 12-14USD.doubles ~US$20.

Cam Chau Mulberry homestay, 116 - 157 Tran Nhan Tong, Hoi An city (Southeast of Hoi An city), ☎051 3623777, [31]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. Cam Chau Mulberry homestay is located in a small village near the city centre of Hoi An. It has 8 rooms in 8 different houses nearby each other owned by 8 local families. This is a great place to stay in Hoi An on your holidays and experience the real Vietnamese culture, food and daily life... It is just 5 minutes by bike to the city centre, bicycles are free of charge and Wifi is working very well.US$ 15 - 22.

Green Field Hotel, 423 Cua Dai St, ☎+84 510-863484 ([email protected], fax: +84-510-863136), [32]. Good value hotel with some English-speaking staff and a location that is not particularly central. Satellite TV and decent air conditioning in some rooms. Other rooms have no A/C. Many rooms smell moldy, so have a look before you check in. Free computers with Internet in the lobby, free Wi-Fi (patchy in rooms), swimming pool and free cocktails for one hour in the evenings. They may or may not also have dorms available (three single beds in a room) for $6 per night.Singles from US$15.

Ha My TT Hotel, Thon 1 - Dien Duong - Dien Ban - Quang Nam, ☎+84-90 822 0747 (French), +84 90 811 2825 (English and Japanese). This ancient French style beach resort about 6 km from Hoi An centre is recently been renovated. It has a special atmosphere and its friendly owner, Mr. Nguyen Van Hien, will do everything to make you feel comfortable. Don't be rejected by its unpainted facade, as the rooms are nice, and the beach is great! 20-30$US per night.

Hoa My, 201 Ly Thuong Kiet Street (Cnr Hai Ba Trung), ☎+84-510-916582. Cheap, modern, very clean, but of course a bit outside the old town. There are two more similar hotels next to it. They sell bus tickets at approx. double the real price.from US$12.

Hop Yen, 103 Ba Trieu & 694 Hai Ba Tru'ng St, ☎+84 510 386=3153. checkout: 11AM. In the "backpacker town" area, 7 minutes from Old Town. Clean rooms, spacious, staff moody (very friendly when you inquire after rooms but it doesn't last!) with moderate to good English, and tour advice. The open bus tickets they sell are not however with the companies they say they are, an inferior company, book elsewhere. Free internet and Wi-Fi before 21:00. Update as of april 2013: the staff magically transformed into human beings which are good to you if you are good to them and might become unfriendly when you treat them bad.Single $8, doubles US$12 no AC, +$2 with AC, dorms $5.

Jolie Villa Hoi An Homestay, 14 Luu Trong Lu street, ☎+84-934-847788 ([email protected], [34]. Clean and affordable accommodation run by a friendly and helpful local family. Jolie Phong, who runs the premise, speaks good english and french. Non pushy service environment. Situated 1km sharp from the town centre, near the local bus station Hoi An <->Danang. Local breakfast included. Great Wifi.US$17- US$35.

Mrs. Flower's Homestay, 39 Thai Phien St., ☎+84 98 315 0329 ([email protected]). (Near Sinh Tourist Open Bus office, about 1 minute walk.) A newly opened homestay with very clean, spacious and comfortable three rooms (some with balconies) very close to the Old Town. The owners are a lovely couple who make you feel part of their family (Mrs. Flower speaks good English). Free use of internet and Wi-Fi. Free use of laundry machine (January 2013), TV and fridge in the shared area, bicycle and motorbike rental. Mrs Flowers will also help if you wish to have any tailored clothes made, taking you to the market and helping you to pick out the best materials. She will measure you herself and send it off to a good quality tailor for a cheaper price than offered by the high street tailors (for example a cashmere/silk suit the high street tailors quoted as $150, Mrs Flowers instead had made for $80 without loss of quality). Makes for a much more personal experience than staying in a hotel. Also available for long-term stay US$200/month (from 1 month to 1 year). US$8-12.

Phuoc An Hotel, 31/1 Tran Cao Van St, [37]. checkout: 12:00. A clean, friendly and modern atmosphere make the Phuoc An hotel one of Hoi An's more notable. An indoors restaurant on the first floor overlooks the hotel pool. The hotel is a stones throw from the markets, tailors and old quarter. Bicycles are offered to patrons free, however motorbikes can be rented at a cost of US$4 per day from across the road. Good service and complementary all you can eat breakfast each day before 11. (Hotel not connected with the Phuoc An River Hotel on Cua Dai road.)18-30$US per night.

Sunflower Hotel, 397 Cua Dai St., ☎+84 510 393-9838. checkout: 12:00. Located on Cua Dai Street, which leads directly to the beach (about 2.5km away). 4km to An Bang beach (turn left out of hotel, turn right on Hai Ba Trung St., go straight.) Motorbike rental places both sides of the hotel (80,000 dong if renting for a few days, 100,000 for one day). Bicycles 20,000 dong per day. Rooms are spacious with large beds, air-con, fridge, cable tv, fast Wi-Fi. Some rooms have balconies. Dorm rooms are clean but very bare/spartan. Hotel has a clean, medium sized pool. Rooms are currently having new bathrooms installed. There is a little noise in the morning from a nearby temple sometimes, and obviously from the renovations. Room rate includes decent buffet breakfast (egg station makes good omelettes/pancakes). Free shuttle bus to town (it's only a 15 minute walk anyway). Dorm rooms available at $9 per night (Jan 25, 2013) (6 people in on room, pretty clean, A/C, nice bathroom, buffet breakfast included).doubles ~€12/$20.

Tan Phuong, 209 Ly Thuong Kiet, ☎+84-510 386-2531 ([email protected]). Only a few blocks away from the river. Staff are helpful, rooms are spacious and clean. Food available. This is one of the stops of open buses. Also rent bikes/motorbikes.US$10-20.

Thanh Binh 3, Ba Trieu Street (off Hai Ba Trung Street), ☎+84-510-916777. Popular budget hotel done up like a Chinese temple, with a pool and pleasant rooms, all air-con equipped. The mattresses are on the hard side though and the breakfast isn't much to write about. Free Internet at the lobby.US$15-30.

Mid-range

Friendly guesthouse, To 1, Tra Que village, ☎+84935211382 ([email protected]), [39]. In the charming village of Tra Que, 1km to An Bang Beach, 10 min to the Ancient Town, Friendly guesthouse, is a hidden gem. 5 rooms, from 45$ to 65$, with amazing view on the river. French owners living with Vietnamese family. Clean, modern, quiet. Home made jam, french pastries. Price includes breakfast and bicycle.

Betel Garden Homestay, 161 Tran Nhan Tong st. (City nearby), ☎0510.3924165 ([email protected]), [40]. checkin: 06:00; checkout: 12:00. The Vuon Trau Family Resort is a bit out of the centre of town and a beautifully landscaped garden with several unique species of areca and betel trees, complete with an array of songbirds and fishes in small ponds. Staff is incredibly friendly and tries a lot to make you feel at home, including complementary fruits laid in your room each day it is made and the obligatory free bicycles. Their areal also offers a nicely laid out secluded pool area, as well as two covered dining areas for the about 20 guests. As of July 2012 the Vuon Trau Family organizes a complimentary dinner together with their guests twice a week, offering free beverages (and beer) next to excellent food. Be sure to try their AMAZING banana flower salad. Staying here, you will be cared for as one of our family and you will have the opportunity to learn about Vietnamese culture, cuisines and many other things unique to this part of the world.

An Huy Hotel, 30 Phan Boi Chau Street, ☎+84 (510) 862116 / 914627 ([email protected]), [41]. Fourteen rooms conveniently located near the river and Central Market, away from the din of most streets in the heart of Hoi An. The hotel was converted from a traditional Hoi An shophouse — not as squeaky clean as a newly-built hotel but nice, with plenty of historic charm. Good breakfast, such as pancakes with banana fillings. There are 2 computers set up in the lobby to provide Internet access.US$28 for a double room.

Ha An Hotel, 6 Phan Boi Chau Road, ☎+84 510 863126, [42]. Located in a quiet area beyond the main markets, this hotel consists of a few buildings built in a semi-French colonial style around a central courtyard. The rooms are airy, light and pleasant with air-conditioning, bathrooms and TV. A basket of fresh fruit is usually provided in the room. There's a collection of books in the reception area that can be borrowed by guests. The price includes an excellent breakfast and free use of bicycles.US$55-104.

Hoian Vinh Hung 3 Hotel, 96 Ba Trieu Str, [45]. checkin: 13.00.; checkout: 12.00 noon. A beautiful small hotel, 5 minutes' walk from the old town, with modern marble bathrooms and the added bonus of in room wifi; the deluxe rooms even have computers. The room service menu is packed full of local delicacies and the hotel features the only roof top swimming pool in Hoi An. Breakfast is included in the price. What really makes this hotel though are the staff, welcoming, helpful and professional, with excellent English.US$30-48.

Lotus Hotel, 330 Cua Dai Road, ☎+84 (510) 3923 357 ([email protected]), [47]. Beautifully designed resort-hotel draws from a range of styles & influences resulting in a perfect blend of Eastern culture & French architecture, immaculately furnished and equipped rooms in a relaxing combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and French styles. Free ADSL / Wi-Fi available throughout the building.US$36-55.

Long Life Hotel, 30 Ba Trieu Street, ☎"+84 ([email protected]), [48]. Comfortable hotel with a nice pool and excellent breakfast. Wi-Fi and computers are available. Friendly staff. Wide range of room prices with the internal rooms having tiny windows the cheapest and the upper floor rooms with a balcony being the most expensive. The attached bathrooms for all the rooms are about the same and include a nice whirlpool tub.US$17-35.

Orchid Garden Homestay, 382 cua dai str, ☎+845103863720, [49]. checkin: 2pm; checkout: 12pm. The name 'Orchid Garden' originates from the owner's long held passion for orchids, with more than 30 varieties of orchid in the garden. The homestay has four secluded bungalows built in traditional Vietnamese architecture, surrounded by a variety of tropical trees, and equipped with modern convenient facilities. Each bungalow is named after a kind of orchid that you can find around the garden. Orchid Garden also has a traditional sanctuary for worshiping ancestors and for the family activities.

Phuoc An River Hotel, 242 Cua Dai road, [50]. checkin: 13:00; checkout: 11:00. Roof garden restaurant on the sixth floor provides the best views in Hoi An. Clean rooms, good food, friendly staff, and beach road riverside location make the Phuoc An River Hotel unique in Hoi An. Spa, Gym, Pool, Poolside Bar, Coffee Garden. The hotel is quietly located 15-20 minutes stroll to/from the beach, and within easy walking distance of the ancient town. Bicycles are free for guests. Good service. Great breakfast - own kitchen garden and free ranging hens, mean fresh veggies and eggs daily! (NB. This hotel is not connected with the Phuoc An Hotel on Tran Cao Van, or Phuoc An clothes shop, which are owned independently.) 30/60$US per night - Rooms/Suites.

Kiman Hoi An Hotel, 461-463 Hai Ba Trung, Hoi An City, [51]. An up coming hotel not far from the river. Run by the friendly and helpful local family that manages Jolie Homestay. Guests can expect the best services. Hotel features a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and spa. Tour services are provided as well. 10 to 68 USD per night - Dorm to Large family rooms.

Pho Hoi Riverside Resort, K.Xuyen Truong ,Can Nam. Hoi An (Just across the bridge from the market), ☎(845103)862 628, [52]. Just across the bridge from the market and three minutes walk from the centre of the old town. Set in lush gardens with river and town views. The swimming pool is set beside the river and is a welcome retreat after a day spent exploring the old town. There are various accommodation options ranging from Villa rooms, Family suites to Riverside Bungalows. All room rates include breakfast which has many options, fruit, eggs served any way you want, noodle soup, rice and noodle dishes, toast and pastries. Tea coffee and fruit juice also. There are also cheaper rooms which are situated in an older block immediately bedside the resort. These rooms also have access to the breakfast room and swimming pool.Unfortunately there has been little maintenance carried out here and some of the rooms are becoming run down .E-mail.. [email protected] Website. phohoiresort.com

Le Belhamy Hoi An Resort and Spa, Hamlet 1 - Dien Duong Village Dien Ban District (It is just 10 minutes from Hoi An Ancient Town and 30 minutes from Danang International Airport.), ☎+84 510 3941 888, [57]. All rooms are equipped with Private pool, balcony, garden, living area, refrigerator, mini-bar, Wi-Fi Internet access and TV with satellite/cable. Some of its facilities and services are Restaurant, room service, concierge, swimming pool, pool bar, spa, fitness room/gym and Wi-Fi Internet access in public areas.Rates Start at 101.00 USD.

Hoi An Glory Hotel & Spa, 358 Cua Dai Street, ☎+84 510 3914444 ([email protected]), [58]. Opened in spring 2004, with 1 restaurants and 2 bars, Glory Hotel on the area of 3,500 sqm, has 94 rooms built in 4 area with garden, swimming pool and Green field views.US$63-93.

Hoi An Pacific Hotel & Spa, 321 Cua Dai Street (halfway between beach and town), ☎+84 510 923 777 ([email protected]), [59]. Opened in spring 2004, with 1 restaurants and 2 bars, including the "Sky Bar", located on the 6th floor of the hotel with terrace view of all the whole area. renamed from Hoi An Pacific Hotel. google shows this hotel at No. 167 as well?US$70-120.

Vinh Hung 1 Hotel, 143 Tran Phu Street, Hoi An, Vietnam, ☎(84-510) 3861 621, [61]. With arguably the best location in Hoi An this small historic hotel has the charm and beauty that many of Hoi an's larger hotels lack.US$60-100.

Life Heritage Resort Hoi An, 1 Pham Hong Thai Street (East end of street fronting the river), ☎+84 (0) 510.914555 ([email protected]), [62]. Lovely French colonial style architecture with rooms overlooking the Thu Bon River at the east end of Hoi An town, a short walk from the ancient town but just far enough away that a quiet night's sleep is practically assured. Rooms are spacious (many are bi-level with a sitting area) and have good a/c but restaurant and bar are open to the breezes. Two-day package (off-season) was US$250 incl 2 x breakfast for two, 1 x dinner for two, and 20% discount to a comprehensive spa. The included breakfast is a buffet, making it easy to dart in and eat before or after a morning excursion. US$98-268.

River-Beach Resort, 05 Cua Dai Street, Tel:(84.510) 3927 888, [66], 2-minute walk from the beach, a four-star resort that offers stunning views of surrounding paddy fields, river and sea. 120 rooms, ranging from deluxe, superb deluxe rooms to executive, family and presidential suites. All - fully equipped with modern facilities and comforts. Each room has a private balcony or terrace and offers views of the river, pool, garden or countryside. Free Wi-Fi is offered throughout the hotel. There is also a fitness centre, beauty salon and spa, bar, baby sitting services and gift shop. US$60 for deluxe room - US$165 for a presidential suite.

Swiss-Belhotel Golden Sand Resort & Spa, Thanh Nien Road - Cua Dai Beach, ☎+84 510 927 550, [63]. This beautiful hotel with a gigantic swimming pool is located by the river a short stroll from the market. Evening musical entertainment in the lobby makes it all the more delightful.Internet rates from US$105, beach-front suites US$285.

Hotel Royal Hoi An, 39 Dao Duy Tu (5 minutes of walk from the Ancient Town of Hoi An. In the new An Hoi area along Thu Bon river), ☎+84 (0) 510.3950 777 ([email protected]), [65]. Right next to the majestic Old Quarter of Hoi An and bordered by the tranquil Thu Bon River, Hotel Royal Hoi An MGallery Collection is the latest gem on the crown jewel of this UNESCO World Heritage town. Featuring modern and artistic facilities ranging from luxurious rooms, two signature restaurants, a charming Royal Spa, modern meeting rooms and especially a stunning swimming pool, Hotel Royal Hoi An is the ideal get-away destination for romantic breaks, family vacations or inspiring events. US$127-220.

My Son - UNESCO World Heritage Site, ruins of the ancient Cham empire, in the jungle at the start of the Central Highlands a little over an hour from Hoi An

Đồng Dương - Ruined Cham tower, the sole major remnant of a large Buddhist Cham period (9th century, 875-915 under Indravarman II) temple-complex that was originally 155 m x 32 6m. Other minor remnants are also visible.

Ba Na Hills - Located in the Truong Son mountain range 25 km to the SW of Da Nang at an altitude of 1,487 m.

The Marble Mountains, 9 km short of Da Nang, are well worth a morning or afternoon trip from Hoi An.

Lang Co - fishing village that includes mountains, a river, a lagoon, an island and a 32 km beach located between Da Nang and Hue.

Hue - the former imperial capital, a few hours away by car or train. Bus leaves twice a day and costs about $6.

Da Lat - originally the playground of the French, who built villas in the clear mountain air to escape the heat and humidity of the coast. The main (only?) option is an overnight sleeper coach bus, which costs $14 USD if booked directly (confirmed in July 2014). Typical prices will be $20 as travel agents or hotels will tack on commission.

Kon Tum - There are no buses from Hoi An. You must take a bus to Da Nang where the buses to Kon Tum depart from. Apparently the buses depart Da Nang at 6am. Tourist bus price $20.

With Kids

Dingo Deli - A café and bakery with toys and a playground, handy to spend a half day. Seriously good coffee and friendly staff.

To use a hotel pool for a day you can ask the hotel/resort next to you. E.g. the Hoi An Trails Resort & Spa has a nice pool with a shallow part. They might ask $5/110.000 Dong per adult or might let you use the pool if you consume drinks from the bar.

Sunrise Premium Resort Hoi An - Their 'Kids Club' can be used, admission is around 200.000 Dong.

To buy diapers or baby food you can choose for the store at 304 Lý Thường Kiệt, they have a wide selection. Also they have a bar-code scanner at check out, so you will likely pay the correct price.

For fresh fruit and vegetables the Chợ Tân An market is a good option (junction Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Nguyễn Đình Chiểu).

This is a guide article. It has a variety of good, quality information including hotels, restaurants, attractions, arrival and departure info. Plunge forward and help us make it a star!